MILITARY: Miramar mess hall seeks to defend title

Gonzales Hall, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, competed in the Best of the West competition to keep the title as the best mess hall in the Western region on July 31.

The Marines of Gonzales Hall hope to make this the second year in a row they win the Best of the West competition.

"Yes we feel very confident [about winning]," said Lance Cpl. Jordan C. Cotterell, a food service technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. "Everyone came in and did their jobs and made no mistakes."

A team of evaluators from the Maj. Gen. William Pendleton Thompson Hill Memorial Awards Program for Food Service Excellence came to judge the food and menus of Gonzales Hall. The Marines treated it as just another work day doing the same routine to provide food for Miramar.

"We don't have to put on a show, we do the same thing every day," said Cotterell. "We do the same meal preparation and the same cleaning process every day. We are used to doing it the right way."

Mess hall Marines work long hours to make sure meals are ready for Marines when they arrive at the mess hall.

"Most people don't take our job seriously, but if you're not eating you can't succeed in anything, your body will fail on you," said Cotterell.

Gonzales Hall knows the importance of keeping the Marines well fed on the air station. Winning this competition for a second time in a row would prove that Miramar is not only getting what it needs, but getting the best for the Marines.

"We do everything by the book and don't take short cuts; it's a lot of hard work but definitely worth it if you want to be the best," said Lance Cpl. Brittany Brown, a food service technician with H&HS.

Miramar is proud to have the Marines of Gonzales Hall working to their full potential to ensure their mission is accomplished and hold on to the title of the Best of the West. Gonzales Hall will not know the results of the competition for several more weeks.